1. Field of the invention:
This invention relates to a coagulating box for use in makiing bean curd.
2. Prior art:
In general, a coagulating box for use in making bean curd is a box made of metal designated by the Food Sanitation Act, for example, a stainless steel box, with a top side opened. In making bean curd, initially soybean milk and a coagulating agent in a specified ratio to each other are put in a coagulating box and mixed to form a mixture. This mixture is left in the box for a specified time at a specified temperature until the soybean milk is coagulated by the action of the coagulating agent. A block of bean curd thus coagulated in the box is cut into many pieces of regular size. The box is put in a water tank and is overturned to release cut pieces of bean curd from the box into the water.
In supplying cut pieces of bean curd to a packing machine, it is required to manually take them out one by one from the water tank and put them on a conveyor. Therefore, water in the tank must be warm water of a comparatively low temperature or water in which hands can be put. Various germs can easily be mixed with the tank water and it is difficult to keep such tank or water in a germ-free condition. Moreover, it is difficult to effect automation of the step of putting cut pieces of bean curd on a conveyor.
The present invention has for its object to make it possible to automate cutting, arranging on a conveyor and taking out of bean curd by using a coagulating box having a side plate which is openable.